Last night I went with my friends Naomi and Eric to check out the Fire Twirling at the Full Moon Party on the beach at 475 The Esplanade in Hervey Bay. Eric took the most amazing photo’s I’ve come across in a long time!

 

I had my first ever try at fire twirling and managed to get a double ring in my photo, not due to my sensational fire twirling skills but more Eric’s delayed camera shutter speed. I was more concentrating on the strong breeze and not setting my hair alight!

 

The beach looked amazing under the moonlight with the sound of the waves as the tide came in and the cool breeze it was a fantastic opportunity to get a take-away dinner and the blanket out, very relaxing.

 

Three Police Officers even stopped by to pay us a visit to make sure we were having FUN!

 

Jamie Young and his team who practice on most Fridays and demonstrate their skills are sensational and very captivating to watch. It really is a fun night out. Just sitting on the beach at night really makes you appreciated what a beautiful area we live in!

 

To be notified of upcoming Friday Fire Twirling and Drumming please contact Jamie on 0407 280 754 to receive a text message confirming dates.

 

Photo’s courtesy of Eric Skowron, please click on Photo’s to view full size.

Council Releases New Logo click here to read more…

1. Looks great! Professional! Sharp! Modern!

2. Tendered locally!
“When our design team saw the opportunity to compete for the task of designing the new Bundaberg Regional Council logo we were not about to give up that opportunity easily.”

3. Council narrowed the selection to one local design group (local being the operative word!)

4. A very reasonable design cost!

5. And the Bundy website is also designed locally! The Fraser Coast one is done in Brisbane!

Well done to the Bundaberg Council, you lead by example in support of local business, very impressed!

Fraser Coast Regional Councillor Anne Nioa didn’t even put out a tender process!!!

Thanks for the offer Anne, I’ll bear that in mind if I ever see a tender process….

Do you like the look of the new Hervey Bay logo? - please click on the poll to the right.

Do you feel the Fraser Coast Logo & Branding should have been tendered to local business?
Please feel FREE to comment on the email correspondence below …..sorry it is so long winded!

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Hello Jeanette

Thank you for your email.

Anne Maree Althaus was the only person approached to design the Logo - the reason as stated was the tight timeframes and the standing relationship with Council.  The process followed is in accordance with the Local Government Act.  There was no necessity to go to tender for the Logo, nor with the magazine (although we did go through that process for the later)

As mentioned previously, there is ample opportunity to tender for upcoming projects in the future and I look forward to your company submitting Expressions of Interest.

Anne  

Cr. Anne Nioa
Fraser Coast Regional Council
anne.nioa@frasercoast.qld.gov.au
mb: 0418 741 624

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From: Jeanette Maynes [mailto:jeanette@designhouse.com.au]
Sent: Tuesday, 7 October 2008 9:58 AM

Hi Anne,

Thank you for your email, I’m a little confused as your response has not answered my questions in the slightest.

My questions were clearly directed at the logo design yet you keep mentioning the magazine that has nothing to do with my queries?

You clearly state below that Anne Maree Althaus from Mt Gravatt was the only person approached re the Fraser Coast logo.

As there was no tender process within the Fraser Coast Region, how can this possibly be seen as an expressions of interest process or transparent business practice.

There are a number of businesses within my industry in the Fraser Coast that are awaiting a more direct honest response or preferably an apology from Council as you could imagine the majority are appalled and found this quite offensive.

Kind regards

Jeanette Maynes JP(Qual)
GENERAL MANAGER / GRAPHIC & WEBSITE DESIGNER

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From: Anne Nioa (HB) [mailto:Anne.Nioa@frasercoast.qld.gov.au]
Sent: Monday, 6 October 2008 3:30 PM

Dear Jeanette,
Thank you for your previous email, and I hope that you have received your copy of “Our Fraser Coast” magazine by now.  Listed below are the answers to the issues you raised last week.

1. Why was not a single business approached in the Fraser Coast Region?

Read more »

Today I strolled down to the park in Scarness Hervey Bay to check out The Forget Me Not Children’s Orphanage annual ‘Kids helping Kids Day’.

There was plenty to do with food and merchandise stalls, a fire twirling display, children’s craft activities, face painting and all services were donated to raise much needed funds for the orphanage.

 

I listened with interest as Lars Olsen who founded the orphanage in 2005 was interviewed my Chanel Nine for a new television show ‘Inside Queensland’.

Lars mentioned how his inspirational journey started when he was just 16 as he sought balance in his life and believed in giving and taking therefore setting up the orphanage to give back to children that need it.

He felt a connection with Nepal and fell in love with the children. Most of the young girls now in his orphanage were molested by the people who were supposed to be looking after them, taking them a long time to feel comfortable with the newfound orphanage, school, warmth, love and education. Their personalities soon blossomed and Lars feels the girls always give him more that what he can give them.

He is extremely passionate about his cause considering himself a normal everyday person and believes there is a general good in everybody.

Lars and the team behind this orphanage are truly inspirational.

 

My friend Lolita donated her face painting services creating some master pieces on the children in the park. She then did some henna art to raise more funds for the orphanage. On her break I got together with Forget Me Not President Debby Haigh and tried to create my own henna masterpiece! Unfortunately or maybe fortunately my design on Debby ended up on Carla’s arm (fundraising chair for FMNCH) when she was mucking around with Lars while he did some juggling in front of the film crew. Lucky Lolita saved the day and redid Debby’s glitter butterfly!

 

About 1pm I went over to Enzo’s Cafe for some lunch and a coffee to check out the sounds of Soul’Sa (Fleetwood, Shannon & Reza) a newly formed local band that play Afro Cuban & Latin Grooves and were performing all original material inspired by “Soukous” which is very popular in Africa.

The music was very relaxing and just right for the beautiful beach setting with a cool summer breeze flowing through.

It was lovely to catch up with Lupita the Fraser Coasts Latin and Alternative Dance Instructor from Maryborough and her family, several members of the Fraser Coast Latino Group plus other business people I knew. There was quite a large turnout.

As it was the bands first ever performance I think with some more practice they may become quite popular in the area.

I personally had a fantastic day out!

Today I went to check out the Pier Festival at Urangan which was extremely popular with large crowds in attendance. I caught up with my friend Lolita who studied a certificate in arts with me that was working at the festival creating henna designs (temporary tattoo’s). My friend Naomi and I decided to celebrate the day out with a piece of body artwork. Naomi decided on and anklet and I went an armband. The tattoos’s last between 10 – 14 days and are made from natural ingredients.

Quality natural brown Henna derived from the ground leaves of the Henna plant is mixed with only natural ingredients to form a self-made paste that is applied to the skin with a design of decoration. It has been a popular style of adornment on the skin in many cultures for over 5000 years, traditionally used for bridal, ritual and sacred ceremonies but these days has found its way into mainstream contemporary culture, design and body adornment.

To find out more on henna or hold a henna party please click here. Lolita also specialises in children’s parties and face painting.

  

 

At 5.30pm, like hundreds of other locals, I wandered down to the Charlton Esplanade to watch the Hervey Bay Whale Festival Street Parade. The parade was lead by the Hervey Bay RSL Pipe Band and closely followed by our local Politicians in classic vehicles; Fraser Coast Mayor Mick Kruger,  Paul Neville MP Hinkler and Andrew McNamara MP Hervey Bay.

 
 

The parade seemed a lot shorter this year and I have heard on the local grapevine the costs and insurances involved with participating are too much for the average business/group. They have even band the distribution of lollies from the floats. As a child I would have been ecstatic and thrilled if a lolly hit me in the head!
Honestly, who brought in the Fun Police?!
Never the less, those that participated did not lack enthusiasm, colour or creativity.

  

It was fantastic to see Fraser Coast University, USQ were I am studying a Masters in Professional Studies make such a simplistic yet bold statement to advertise their campus, very effective, as were the other environmental issues on display.